New Data Reveals the Most Effective Time to Reach Families About Attendance

A SchoolStatus analysis of 3.3 million school-home messages reveals when families respond, what drives engagement, and how timing affects attendance

SACRAMENTO, CA, November 12, 2025 — SchoolStatus, a leading provider of K-12 attendance and family engagement solutions, has released a new report to help districts act earlier on chronic absenteeism, which affected 23.5 percent of students nationwide last year, according to the American Enterprise Institute. New 2025 Data: How to Engage K-12 Families to Improve Student Attendance analyzes more than 3.3 million messages between schools and families to identify when outreach is most effective and what messages lead to better outcomes.

The report offers practical insights on when families are most responsive, how message timing affects attendance, and what simple changes can help educators intervene earlier.

“We know family engagement is critical, but until now, there hasn’t been data to show what works best and when,” said Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education at SchoolStatus. “This report gives educators that clarity. Timing and message quality matter, and when we get them right, we see real change.”

Highlights from the report include:

• Families are more likely to respond when outreach happens within the first 20 days of school
• Attendance outcomes improve when schools contact families during early absence patterns, instead of once they’re chronically absent
• Peak response times are 8 a.m. and between 2 and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Short, specific messages tied to a clear action lead to stronger family responses
• More than half of the students who receive one intervention don’t need a second

The report is available for immediate use by district leaders, student services teams, and family engagement staff working to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve school connection.

“Educators are already doing the work,” said Dr. Stern. “This data shows how small shifts in timing and communication can help them reach more families earlier and support better attendance for more students.”

Read the full report: New 2025 Data: How to Engage K-12 Families to Improve Student Attendance.

Media Contact
Annmarie Ely, Associate Director
0to5 for SchoolStatus
267.454.4686
[email protected]